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About this blog: I developed a special interest in helping seniors with their challenges and transitions when my dad had a stroke and I helped him through all the various stages of downsizing, packing, moving and finding an assisted living communi... (More)

About this blog: I developed a special interest in helping seniors with their challenges and transitions when my dad had a stroke and I helped him through all the various stages of downsizing, packing, moving and finding an assisted living community. I live in Palo Alto with my wife and we have three grown children, one still in college. I have been in the Bay Area since 1977 (except for seven years in Newton MA — just missed all that snow too much.) I've worked in sales and marketing in retirement communities for seven years, and have hired and managed home care workers for family members, and have a pretty good idea of how aging in place, or shopping for and selecting the right retirement community works. I now run my own business, Palo Alto Senior Living, providing real estate and senior transition services. This blog is designed to share my experiences, insight and knowledge with seniors and their baby boomer kids and provide useful information to help develop a roadmap for smooth transitions or aging in place. I welcome readers to share their experiences, both good and not-so-good, in the hope that we all can benefit from each other. (Hide)

Now that Schools are Closing PLEASE Close the YMCA

Uploaded: Mar 14, 2020

Very happy to hear yesterday that all Santa Clara district schools will be closing. This is a very prudent step and I'm sure we all support that decision.
But yesterday the YMCA sent out an email to members stating they intend to keep facilities open because "We have a large member base across Silicon Valley that depends on our Y as an important part of their healthy living routine." To me this is exactly the reason it should be closed immediately. The risk is that there is a chance that there are members in that large member base across the valley who may have been exposed to the virus, come in contact to someone who has it, and possibly have already infected or could infect other members at the Y. The email also asked "Hi risk individuals" to stay away. Asking folks, for many of whom English is not their first language, to self-police and realize they themselves are high risk individuals is asking a lot. Is that to be interpreted as High Risk to get the virus, or high risk to spread it?
Please YMCA, reconsider and get ahead of this. Even a day delay can be consequential. I'm not a doctor but would strongly recommend seniors and those with compromised immune systems to avail themselves of the online exercise classes you can link to from the YMCA email and stay away from the Y until things calm down. If you agree the Y should shut down for now please comment to show your support. Or if you have an argument to make to keep it open please let's hear your viewpoint.

Posted by Boho,
a resident of Green Acres,
on Mar 15, 2020 at 3:59 pmBoho is a registered user.

Yes, shutting off all human contact is the only reasonable way to go in these uncertain times. This would also mean that Palo Alto Online will be shuttered for the foreseeable future unless the no human contact rules can be avoided.

Boho - I don't think anyone was advocating shutting off all human contact, but I get your point that the sky isn't falling in. The Governor just asked folks 65 or older and those with compromised immune systems to self- isolate. I think that's prudent. This thing can get out of hand very quickly. And there are a lot of seniors who use the Y.